DePauw University
10-2 2025 final D3 TOP 25 #13The Tigers of Greencastle, current keepers of the Monon Bell after four straight wins over Wabash, and a NCAC standard-bearer turning one of college football's oldest rivalries into a playoff platform.
The Tigers wait in the brush.
The Tigers of Greencastle, current keepers of the Monon Bell after four straight wins over Wabash, and a NCAC standard-bearer turning one of college football's oldest rivalries into a playoff platform.
Keep the Monon Bell, stack NCAC titles, and convert the rivalry's momentum into a sustained NCAA Division III playoff presence.
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
DePauw University sits 1st in the North Coast Conference and 10th of 240 in the CFB Index — in the projected field with a seedable rating.
| Team | Conf | Overall | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Depauw | 7-0 | 10-2 | 68.8 |
| 2 | Hiram College | 1-0 | 3-7 | 39.7 |
| 3 | Wabash College | 6-1 | 9-2 | 64.1 |
| 4 | Denison University | 5-2 | 6-4 | 56.5 |
| 5 | Wooster | 4-3 | 5-5 | 49.9 |
| 6 | Wittenberg | 3-4 | 4-6 | 48.4 |
| 7 | Ohio Wesleyan | 2-5 | 3-7 | 43.7 |
| 8 | Kenyon | 1-6 | 1-9 | 36.3 |
Win the North Coast Conference for the automatic berth into the 40-team NCAA Division III bracket. Miss it and the path is an at-large bid, selected by NPI — the metric the CFB Index mirrors. Six wins survive the bracket to the Stagg Bowl.
Signature win 75-0 over Oberlin; toughest day 24-49 against Wheaton.
The Pulse on DePauw University
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · DePauw University
The baseline for a successful season.
The primary goal and national bracket path.
One of 32 national tournament entries.
The Division III national championship game.
DePauw University · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
The Monon Bell Classic
Wabash College leads the all-time series 63-58-9 through 2025.
Played since 1890. They play for the Monon Bell — a 300-pound locomotive bell, the biggest prize in Indiana college football.
Most recently, DePauw University beat Wabash College 41-20 in 2025.
Home-Field Advantage · DePauw University · 2018-present
Strong
85% home win rate vs 84% on the road. margin runs +12.1 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Warming
Four of five. The board favors this trend.
Schedule Strength · DePauw University · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 49% across 12 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.
Moment of the Year · DePauw University · 2025
Postseason · Won 26-23 at Wisconsin-Whitewater
Week 14 of 2025. Postseason win — the season-defining moment.
Postseason History
Recent postseason (2023-2025): 1-1
Most recent: 2025 — win 23-26 (away). Last 5 postseason: 1-1.
From the Archive — DePauw University
2023: Won 49-0 vs Hiram College
In 2023, the program won 49-0 vs Hiram College — a blowout home result that left the 49-point margin on the books.
The Tigers earn their dinner.